Honesty Goes a Long Way!

 I think one of the things I love about the Psalms is how open and honest the psalmists are about their feelings. They don't seem to hold much back when it comes to their emotions, fears, doubts, or anxieties. The psalmists tend to just lay it all out there and then wait for God to swoop in and help clean it all up. David wasn't afraid to say he shed tears. They were open about all their fears and the crazy stuff they were going through. And God let it all be put in the Bible!

This morning, I was reading Psalm 95, but I noticed a verse in Psalm 94 that I had previously marked. In verse 19, the psalmist says, When doubts filled my mind, Your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. (NLT) In Psalm 119:50, David says, this is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life. (NKJV) I think what stood out to me in these verses is that God didn't avoid the psalmist because they were sharing "negative" feelings or emotions. Instead, He seemed to move in closer to them and He brought along comfort both times.

People tend to avoid us because they don't know how to handle our situations, especially emotionally. There are no buttons to push to make everything "normal" so we are often ignored. I don't know about you - but I have very few friends who are willing to even try to understand my circumstances. Thankfully, I have a couple! Caregiving can be a long, lonely road - but thankfully, God gets that. There isn't one ounce of avoidance in Him - that's never His strategy!

In both of these verses, God moved in to bring comfort to the troubled psalmist. I love that about God. He comes right in to our crazy, upsetting, troubled circumstances and brings all that He is to the table. He doesn't withhold His peace until we can get it together. (What is there to "get together" anyway?) He doesn't say when we sraighten up or become emotionally stable then He'll give us peace or walk with us. NO! He comes right on in and sits with us full of comfort, peace, direction, wisdom, and soul salve. I love that about Him.

We wouldn't know He could calm the storm if we'd never been in one. We wouldn't know He could heal if we were never sick. We wouldn't understand the value of His peace if we'd never had a troubled soul. But here He sits. Right in our messy lives. Full of peace. Ready to distribute grace for the day. Refreshing His mercies each morning - just for us.

Today, I will trust that He is near no matter how crazy my emotions may get. I'll remind myself that He comes with comfort when I am doubtful, He won't avoid me. I love that about God! I will trust that He is right here with me in the middle of my mess. Will you join me?

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Check it out!

31 Days in Psalm 31. I found myself returning to that Psalm over and over. It brought so much encouragement and I found so many scriptures that were meditation-worthy, I decided it was a good topic. David wrote this psalm while in a cave hiding from Saul. Since much of my caregiving life feels like it's lived in a cave (we talk about the caregiver's cave a lot!), it seemed appropriate. You can get a Kindle or print version in my Amazon bookstore. Or you can download an eBook from my DFM bookstore.

Twists and Turns

 

As caregivers, we never know what a day will bring. It can make it very difficult to make plans because we never know if we'll be able to keep them or not. Just last week, everything was going great and we had to make an afternoon run to the ER. Of course, it all turned out okay - by the afternoon was sucked away. As if caregiving wasn't exhausting enough, there are those little twists and turns in our kind of crazy normals that can suck the life right out of you. Am I alone?!

One of the things I've recently come to appreciate even more about God is that He takes it all. He is our rock (Psalm 18:1-2, Psalm 61:1-3). But nowhere in the Bible does it say that God is an either-or advocate. We can run to our Rock with all our concerns, sadness, and pain. At the same time, we can run to Him with our joys, thanksgivings, and wins. He doesn't say He will take one or the other - He takes both - absolutely all of it.

He is there to dry the last tear we can squeeze out over a loss or grief. But He is just as there when we are shouting because of a great victory. As caregivers, we are allowed to have victories, you know. Sometimes, just making it through another day is victory enough. Life is made up of all these highs and lows, twists and turns, and ins and outs - no one knows that more than the caregiver, right?!

We don't have to make an appointment with God for our sorrow at a certain time. We know it can hit at any point. And it hits hard. Living grief is so not talked about enough. A Facebook memory, a phone call, a photo on our phones, and our emotions can bottom out. I often "brag" that my emotions can go from the epitome of joy to the bottom of despair in less than a second - and it doesn't take much. 

No matter what kinds of twists and turns a day brings, God has us covered. We can run to our Rock and know confidently that we will not be turned away. There's nothing too high or too low for Him to help us navigate, carry, or adjust to. He's got us!

Today, I'll remind myself that God really is in it with me. He is invested in my soul (in our souls), and He is taking care of that investment. My thoughts will be on how I can bring Him literally anything and everything without the fear of being turned away or rejected. That brings me a measure of peace, which I will choose to embrace today which has already been filled with numerous ups and downs. I know He's got me - He's got us. So, I can trust Him for one more day, will you join me?

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Paperback, Kindle, or eBook

Affirmations for Caregivers contains an affirmation, a verse or two to read, and a prompt for a very short response for each day for a month or 31 days.  You can download the eBook from the Dove's Fire Ministries Bookstore right now and print it and start today! The print version is also now available on Amazon! Check it out!

The Best Option

 I love how open, raw, and vulnerable the Psalms are. David, who wrote most of them, and the other psalmists didn't hold back their feelings or emotions. When I saw that it was okay to tell God exactly how I felt about what I was going through it not only gave me freedom but it leveled me up when it came to trusting God. He wasn't going to throw me away or fry me down to my toenails because I was honest about how I felt about my situation. Thank you, King David, for leading the way! Lol.

This morning, I found myself in Psalm 22. That will be where I camp for the day! We find David feeling forsaken and forgotten by God. He expresses these feelings in the first couple of verses. He continues throughout the verses expressing his feelings and hurts. But here's what stood out to me. 

Even though David was in a tough spot, he continued to choose to praise God. In verse 3, after he just poured out his heart, David says, yet, You are holy. He goes back to his discourse on life's troubles for a few verses, then in verse 9, David says, Yet, You brought me safely from my mother's womb and led me to trust You when I was young. He goes back and forth this way throughout the psalm and in verse 22 he begins to praise God.

The rest of the way down through the psalm David expresses praise for God and acknowledges all He has done. I realized - that was a choice. David's circumstances didn't change between verses, yet he chose praise. David shifted his focus to the One who saves, the One who heals, the One who rescues, the One who snatches His sheep from the mouth of the enemy - David was no longer focused on his surroundings, dire though they may have been. Instead, David chose to focus on God and to praise Him for all He had done, even if he couldn't see God doing something in the moment.

We can do that too. We may not see a thing in our world change when we start praising God - but we can feel the shift in our hearts. 

Today, I'll start by thanking God for all He's done. Each time I think of a day of caregiving that He's brought me through (hospital stays, financial difficulties, etc.), I'll thank Him again. Then, I'll remind myself that He has not changed one bit since the last time He rescued my soul! I can trust Him to rescue me from my enemies again today. I'm going to say a prayer of thanksgiving for His continual watch-care over my soul and for His ever-abiding presence. I love that He sees deeply into my heart and chooses not to look away. I will trust Him for one more day. Will you join me?

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Check it out!

31 Days in Psalm 31. I found myself returning to that Psalm over and over. It brought so much encouragement and I found so many scriptures that were meditation-worthy, I decided it was a good topic. David wrote this psalm while in a cave hiding from Saul. Since much of my caregiving life feels like it's lived in a cave (we talk about the caregiver's cave a lot!), it seemed appropriate. You can get a Kindle or print version in my Amazon bookstore. Or you can download an eBook from my DFM bookstore.

From the Back of the Caregiver's Cave

 Since yesterday, I've just kept my mind in Psalm 57. Verse one of this psalm has been a life scripture that has anchored my soul over the years. I still declare that I will trust God and stay in the shelter of His wings for refuge in life's calamities. One thing I have always loved about David was that he was not afraid or ashamed to share his emotions. He is very clear in this psalm that his soul is "among lions" and he is under attack. 

David talks about crying to God and asking Him to save his soul. But he always comes back around to his declarations. Most of his psalms have declarations of some sort. He shares how he feels. He reminds himself of who God is and what He's done. He declares how he is going to trust God.

Picture David sitting in the back of a dark, dank cave. He is running for his life. He has a few of his "mighty men" with him. Maybe they are trying to encourage him - maybe they are just supporting him by sitting there with him. He can't build a fire or he would chance being spotted. He has no musical instrument with him since he can't carry his harp and his sword. Lol. 

David is soon to be king - but it sure doesn't look like it or feel like it in the back of the cave. While David is pouring out his soul, he shifts and begins to declare in verses 7-9:

• I will sing and give praise! 
• I will awaken the dawn!
• I will praise You, O Lord!
• I will sing to You, O Lord!

In one of his darkest moments, he begins to praise God. Why? Well, he said God was his refuge (v.1). He said he was going to cry out to God who would answer him (v.2). He mentioned that he knew God would send His mercy and truth to him (v.3). In short - he trusted God while sitting right there in the back of the cave. We can do that too.

Today, I'll remind myself that God is present in the caregiver's cave with me. It's never too dark, too damp, or too disgusting for Him. He just keeps hanging out with me. My meditations will be on this psalm and how God continues to be my refuge. God won't let me set there alone. He will bring His peace, grace, mercy, and truth to provide me company! I think I can trust Him for one more day. Will you join us?

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Check it out!

31 Days in Psalm 31. I found myself returning to that Psalm over and over. It brought so much encouragement and I found so many scriptures that were meditation-worthy, I decided it was a good topic. David wrote this psalm while in a cave hiding from Saul. Since much of my caregiving life feels like it's lived in a cave (we talk about the caregiver's cave a lot!), it seemed appropriate. You can get a Kindle or print version in my Amazon bookstore. Or you can download an eBook from my DFM bookstore.

Awake My Soul

 When I woke up this morning, the song "Awake My Soul" was running through my mind. Over and over the phrase, awake my soul - sing His praise out loud was playing. Even though caregiving can be hectic and we have to remain flexible, it's easy for our souls to be lulled to sleep. We are on high alert emotionally pretty much all the time, and it's normal to seek refuge for our souls. That can end up with a lot of anxiety, or it can turn out that we just feel kind of numb. We might even land somewhere in the middle. 

We find ourselves carrying so much. It's not easy to take care of another person on any level, and our emotions can wear out. We get soul tired. It's not easy to get out of that mode either. Sometimes, it would be nice to have a day off. But for many that just doesn't happen. I'm thankful to get a couple hours of respite each week, but guess how I spend it? Running errands. Ikr. Over time, we can wear down. It's not your fault. It's part of the package that comes with the life you live.

I realized this morning that I am in a soul-tired spot. Maybe the song running through my heart and mind was God encouraging me. So, I took a minute to look up the verse in Psalm 57. I had forgotten it was in that psalm as it contains one of the scriptures that's been an anchor for my soul. David started the psalm out by declaring his trust in God. The subtitle says that David wrote this psalm while he was in the cave hiding from Saul. He was in a difficult spot, even though he'd already been anointed by God to be king.

He was hiding in the back of the cave waiting on God when he penned, "Awake my soul!" In verse 7, he declared, I will sing and give praise! Right there in his dark, dank circumstances, he reminded himself to praise God. To sing praise. Maybe it's because he realized that the cave didn't change God and it didn't change what He'd said. I think we can do that too.

The caregiver's cave is all too familiar, but it doesn't change a single thing God ever said. Our circumstances don't change one promise God has made, and they don't change a single verse in the Bible. God will never say, you can just erase that one - it no longer applies. Lol. 

Today, I'll remind myself of the steadfastness of God. I will choose to praise Him for His faithfulness, for His willing presence, and for His patience with me - because that's a lot! I'll remind myself that I'm not sitting in the back of the cave alone, God is with me and He's not going anywhere. And even if my soul feels all numbed out right now - I can wake it up by praising the things about God that don't ever change. That's when peace will come and I will be able to trust Him for one more day. Will you join me?

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Check it out!

31 Days in Psalm 31. I found myself returning to that Psalm over and over. It brought so much encouragement and I found so many scriptures that were meditation-worthy, I decided it was a good topic. David wrote this psalm while in a cave hiding from Saul. Since much of my caregiving life feels like it's lived in a cave (we talk about the caregiver's cave a lot!), it seemed appropriate. You can get a Kindle or print version in my Amazon bookstore. Or you can download an eBook from my DFM bookstore.

It's Okay...Really

 

This morning, I'm just running behind. Ever have one of those days? Lol. Who am I kidding? Most of the time, it seems like every day is one of those days. We talk a lot about how many things we have to juggle, even in our sleep! Lol. Okay, maybe not really, but I do sometimes dream about caregiving stuff. :-)

So, here I am running late and my son hasn't been bolused yet. It's like it feels like the world will end just because I didn't get him fed by 8 or 8:30. In my defense, I've already studied for next Sunday's sermon since I've been asked to speak at a local church for Mother's Day. I also already did my FaceBook live devotions and have it uploaded to YouTube and TikTok. And, my son is still asleep - I'll feed him as soon as I hear him move! 

As I was running through all that in my head, I thought - It's okay if he hasn't been fed yet - he'll get fed.

Then, I started thinking about how anal I can be about getting things done. It's okay if it's not all done by a set time, it gets done, right? Plus, we can only do what we can do. Just last night I was telling myself what I did get done yesterday instead of thinking I got nothing done today. It's okay to feel behind. It's okay to feel like loose threads are always hanging. It's okay if the day didn't go as planned. It's okay...really.

In our world, plans get canceled or changed often. Days get rearranged frequently. We have to drop everything and change our plans a lot. It's okay if we just survive another long day.

Caregiving has a way of shaving away things until all that is left is all that matters. God gets that - and it's okay! He's not keeping some unending checklist of our daily chores, prayers, or Bible study habits. He gets us and it's okay!

Today, I will remind myself that my heart is still hidden in His. That I'm still in His hand. And it's okay. He's got me for another day and if all I do is silent my soul to listen for His heartbeat, it's okay. If all I can muster today is the strength to get through - it's okay. He's still got me, and that's not going to change today, so I will trust Him for one more hectic day. Will you join me?

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BOOK OF THE WEEK

Fear of the Lord Study Guide

• ·         What does it mean to “fear” God?

• ·         Does the ‘fear of the Lord” apply to today’s believer?

• ·         Can I fear God and love Him too?

This short, but powerful study guide touches on all of these and more!!

Grab a copy of The Fear of the Lord and learn more about what it really means to “fear” God and what you should do with what you learn about it! Get the ebook at Dove's Fire Ministries Bookstore or the Kindle version from my Amazon store.

 

Balancing Acts

 As caregivers, we have LOTS of things to balance every second of every day! I'm literally sitting here with numerous things that HAVE to be done today running through my mind. I tend to jot them down on any paper that's handy, so I won't forget them as I get swept away in caregiving duties as the day unfolds. There are caregiving tasks (that list is quite lengthy). Then we have self-care tasks (at least we must take ourselves to the bathroom occasionally - if we have time. lol). It's the end of the month and a new one is just around the clock's corner - so there are bills to figure. Should I go on with other tasks that seem menial on the surface? (cooking, cleaning, laundry, pureeing foods, sorting supplies, etc.) We really do balance a lot.

This morning, while I was doing the FaceBook Live video "Peace Out," I realized we have to rely and wait on God for a lot of things. I don't know about you, but my prayer list can get rather lengthy. We need Him, first off. But we all have different areas that we need Him to move in as well. I'll share the video below, but we know He gives us strength when we wait on Him, right? (Isaiah 40:31) But then I realized there are a lot of things we don't have to wait on, too.

We don't have to wait on His peace - He gave it to us free and clear. We just have to figure out how to let it reign! We don't have to wait on Him to love us - He can't help Himself, He just loves us, period. 

We don't have to wait on grace. God told Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that His grace was enough. Paul had been praying about things that had been weighing him down and that was God's answer. I'm pretty sure that verse didn't come with an expiration date!

We don't have to wait on His mercy either. Lamentations 3:22-23 reminds us that His mercies are new (for us) every morning. God doesn't have a "morning" so that's a special endowment or installment that He purposefully makes for our new mornings. He's got us covered!! 

Today, while I am waiting for answers in some specific areas, and for some specific needs - I'll remind myself that there is no waiting for peace, grace, mercy, or His love. Those are all free, clear, and available to us right now. I'll remind myself to give Him my concerns, worries, and anxieties - and then my thoughts will be on His ever-reigning peace. His all-sufficient grace, and His newly refreshed mercies. And then, I can trust Him for one more day. Will you join me?